1,819 posts
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Post by stevej678 on Sept 26, 2017 8:23:05 GMT
Seeing this on Friday. "What have I done to deserve this?" is the song that springs to mind after watching that trailer.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 26, 2017 19:39:18 GMT
Interval tweet. This is terrible.
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19,659 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Sept 26, 2017 19:47:02 GMT
Isn't it absolutely dreadful.
That gay dance routine to I Close My Eyes, and those wigs!!!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 26, 2017 21:11:47 GMT
Isn't it absolutely dreadful. That gay dance routine to I Close My Eyes, and those wigs!!! Glad you agree. I was sat there pre-show looking at the preset circular portal set with premonitions of the horrific Wonderland. My gut was right, but this was actually worse, by far. As a starting point the book is plain terrible, unsalvageable, but it is by no means helped by Craig Revel Horwood's pitiful attempt at direction and uninspired choreography. YES WE GET THIS IS A DUSTY SPRINGFIELD JUKEBOX MUSICAL - STOP MENTIONING HER!!!! The entire production is brassic. What little set there is is flimsy and sometimes pointless (why does half the cafe pop forward by 4ft for a song?!). Did the band tune up before hand? Didn't sound like. Thats the risk of getting your ensemble to learn to play instruments for the show, for no real reason other than the sake of having something to do for most the show. On the subject of which, if your going to have the cast play instruments, at least get them to learn it before hand - 'Liam' playing acoustic guitar had sheet music on stage for one song!! Hammy acting with some very curious and ineffective blocking throughout made the production extremely tedious. With the singular exception of the vocal arrangement on the song where they danced around with chairs (can't remember the song) I hated everything. For the first time ever I committed a cardinal sin and - unlike a few near me who couldn't last the duration - left at the interval. This production is not worth the paper the tickets printed on, let alone decent money from paying customers. I am really peeved that sh*t like this makes its way onto the professional touring circuit. It's dirge. I've got 4 or 5 genuinely original ideas that would make much better productions but lack the network or the money to get them off the ground and seeing this downright offensively unintelligent production infuriates me. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 26, 2017 21:17:49 GMT
Anyone involved should be genuinely ashamed to have their name associated with this production.
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19,659 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Sept 26, 2017 21:20:16 GMT
Can’t disagree with any of the above. I considered leaving at the interval and it was only really morbid fascination that made me stay. Act 2 was worse, if that can be believed. I had to look away from the stage several times, such was the cringe factor.
And the longest curtain call ever, clearly designed to get the audience to clap along and up on their feet with a Dusty megamix, a handful complied but I looked round and many looked bored.
I feel sorry for the cast, because no one comes out of this looking good. Craig Revel Horwood, hang your head in shame daaaaaahling. A fully fledged turkey 🦃
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Post by Deleted on Sept 26, 2017 21:23:49 GMT
Such a shame. CRH a bit hit and miss when it comes to directing. I LOVED his version of Chess. Sorry that never made it to London in fact....
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Post by Deleted on Sept 26, 2017 21:28:16 GMT
Out of interest BurlyBeaR where were you sat? Anywhere amongst the bag crunching, crips munching, chit chatting girls in the circle? |
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2,242 posts
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Post by richey on Sept 26, 2017 21:28:31 GMT
Oh eck. Not looking forward to tomorrow night now.
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19,659 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Sept 26, 2017 21:35:50 GMT
Out of interest BurlyBeaR where were you sat? Anywhere amongst the bag crunching, crips munching, chit chatting girls in the circle? No I was front stalls. |
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2,371 posts
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Post by theatreian on Sept 26, 2017 21:41:28 GMT
Yes, I was front stalls in Brum, when I witnessed the horror that is SOAPM. At least I know my opinion is shared! I echo all the thoughts above and I felt sorry for the cast too.
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19,659 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Sept 26, 2017 21:49:44 GMT
There was a huge amount of pointless walking, or rather pacing around the stage. God knows what that was about. Especially difficult with a clarinet in your gob I would imagine.
And constant moving of three tables and chairs.
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1,102 posts
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Post by zak97 on Sept 26, 2017 21:54:57 GMT
Watched the trailer and just looks naff, tacky, cheap, dated...I could continue. I'm sorry Craig but that choreography is a 'disaster darling' (couldn't resist haha). It looks so bad I almost want to go, just for a laugh.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 27, 2017 7:21:46 GMT
There was a huge amount of pointless walking, or rather pacing around the stage. God knows what that was about. Especially difficult with a clarinet in your gob I would imagine. And constant moving of three tables and chairs. I think all the movement was a deliberate choice to distract you from the fact that not much else was going on. Heres another issue I have with the show that has irked me all night. Its trivial but so annoying. Arguably Dusty Springfield's most popular song is ' Son of a Preacher Man'. It is so popular in fact that the decision was made to write a musical by the same title, 'Son of a Preacher Man'. However, the premise of said musical is about the journey of 3 unrelated people who are being helped out in life by a man who's father ran a joint called 'The Preacher man' and who was known as specifically as 'The Preacher Man'. Not just a man, any man, THE Preacher Man.
There is a massive difference between reference of A man who preaches and THE man who preaches. Its the difference between anybody and somebody. Its specific. They f***ed up the very basic reference of the TITLE SONG. |
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19,659 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Sept 27, 2017 8:30:25 GMT
You *might* be overthinking it?
I’ve been sleeping on the question of why it was necessary to put the actor plating Diana Vicker’s love interest in a kilt and vest in the second act. I mean, I know it was set in that London but are straight plumbers hanging around Soho in kilts, vests and heavy boots?
Or maybe it was just CRH’s fetid imagination.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 27, 2017 8:35:53 GMT
I probably am over thinking it. But still.
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2,371 posts
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Post by theatreian on Sept 27, 2017 8:41:39 GMT
Yes caught a glimpse of his black pants under his kilt, not that I was looking!!
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19,659 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Sept 27, 2017 8:47:45 GMT
Me neither!
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227 posts
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Post by paulbrownsey on Sept 27, 2017 9:20:33 GMT
Heres another issue I have with the show that has irked me all night. Its trivial but so annoying. Arguably Dusty Springfield's most popular song is ' Son of a Preacher Man'. It is so popular in fact that the decision was made to write a musical by the same title, 'Son of a Preacher Man'. However, the premise of said musical is about the journey of 3 unrelated people who are being helped out in life by a man who's father ran a joint called 'The Preacher man' and who was known as specifically as 'The Preacher Man'. Not just a man, any man, THE Preacher Man.
There is a massive difference between reference of A man who preaches and THE man who preaches. Its the difference between anybody and somebody. Its specific. They f***ed up the very basic reference of the TITLE SONG. Yes. You can't imagine them doing something *seriously* interesting like having a plotline about a bloke who falls for the son of a raving homophobic evangelical preacher... |
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68 posts
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Post by Brian on Sept 27, 2017 9:28:30 GMT
This sounds like a complete disaster!
I noticed the reference to Wonderland above- I genuinely enjoyed it; some great songs and a fun way to pass a few hours.
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19,659 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Sept 27, 2017 9:30:47 GMT
Compared with this, Wonderland was high art.
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2,242 posts
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Post by richey on Sept 27, 2017 19:44:11 GMT
Sat in the interval now, and like Burly thinking what the heck have I just witnessed. Despite the chicken impressions, singing to plastic chairs and the old woman straight out of Monty Python I'm actually enjoying the bonkers-ness of it all.
Oh and there is an awful lot of walking about. I wanted to shout at them during the prologue to just stand still for a minute!
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182 posts
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Post by unseaworthy on Sept 27, 2017 20:17:27 GMT
After years of reading these boards, I have finally decided to pluck up the courage to join in with my thoughts about the matinee I saw today. It was terrible, real one star rubbish. The plot made no sense (which was tricky, as there was a lot of plot), the instruments really got in the way of the action, sadly the cast were pushed too far out of their comfort zones with instrument playing/singing/dancing/acting which made the whole thing look under rehearsed with missed notes and steps all over the place. It is a shame because Dusty Springfield has a lot of great songs but the songs were side-lined in favour of the ludicrous plot developments. In short, the whole thing would benefit from going back to the drawing board, rewritten and rehearsed. The negative reviews may be hurting this too as today the Grand Tier was closed and the circle was only about a third full. The tour is due to go on until July and I can't help feel sorry for the people who have to endure performing this for another nine months.
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721 posts
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Post by hulmeman on Sept 27, 2017 20:44:52 GMT
Amusing as it is to read the reviews of this show, I have to wonder where, why or how a show like this attracts the finance to mount a tour and book the sort of venues this show has. Clearly someone is going to loose money on this debacle?
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2,242 posts
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Post by richey on Sept 27, 2017 21:18:32 GMT
Ok I'll hold my hands up and say I actually enjoyed it. Yes the plot was totally bonkers but i thought it was quite fun.
And I've never been to a show where they've thanked 'adult' shops in the programme and told you where you can buy the products and outfits featured
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